God's Ministers (1)

Paul calls Epaphroditus his 'fellow labourer,' in regard of the pains he endured; and 'fellow soldier,' in regard of the perils and dangers he jointly did undergo with the apostle. The doctrine that arises is, that ministers are fellow labourers. They are not, or should not be, fellow loiterers, as many are. The Scriptures compare them to the most painful and laborious professions; to farmers, whose labour is circular, every year renewing as the year does renew. Such is the ministers' labour, converting and strengthening others. It is great labour to break the shell of the word; to lay open the right interpretation. It is as the peril of women in travail; 'My little children, of whom I travail in birth till Christ be formed in you' (Gal. 4:19).
If ministers are labourers, you to whom we preach are God's orchard; you must submit yourselves to be wrought on. If ministers are farmers, you must be the 'ground,' and such ground that brings forth fruit to perfection, or else all their labour and pains are in vain (Heb. 6:7). If ministers are builders, you must be lively stones of this building. You must suffer yourselves to be squared, and cut, and made fit for this building while you are here.
It is observable here, that he doesn't allow his faithful labourers to be alone. Christ sends them out by 'two and two' (Mark 6:7). So that they might be mutual ai, strengthening and comforting one another. It is what Christ did in the old times, and it is what he does in these later times. Observe God's wisdom in sending men of diversity of gifts; Jerome, severe and powerful; Augustine, meek and gentle; Luther, hot and fiery; Melanchthon, of a soft and mild spirit; one to temper the other's over-forwardness, and thereby to prevail with some that didn't like the strictness of the other. By this means God sent teachers suitable to the natures and fitting the several humours of men, among whom some desire to hear the 'sons of consolation,' others the 'sons of thunder.'

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Of the Providence of God, Works, vol. 5, pp. 37-38
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